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Best of Summer: Ice Cream

Ferris Acres Creamery, at 144 Sugar St., Newtown was the top vote-getter in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, which celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year, sells ice cream made from milk produced by cows on the farm. less

Ferris Acres Creamery, at 144 Sugar St., Newtown was the top vote-getter in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, which celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year, sells ice cream ... more

Ferris Acres Creamery, at 144 Sugar St., Newtown was the top vote-getter in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, which celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year, sells ice cream made from milk produced by cows on the farm. less

Ferris Acres Creamery, at 144 Sugar St., Newtown was the top vote-getter in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, which celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year, sells ice cream ... more

Ferris Acres Creamery, at 144 Sugar St., Newtown was the top vote-getter in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, which celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year, sells ice cream made from milk produced by cows on the farm.

Ferris Acres Creamery, at 144 Sugar St., Newtown was the top vote-getter in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, which celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year, sells ice cream

Ferris Acres Creamery, at 144 Sugar St., Newtown was the top vote-getter in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, which celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year, sells ice cream made from milk produced by cows on the farm. less

Ferris Acres Creamery, at 144 Sugar St., Newtown was the top vote-getter in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, which celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year, sells ice cream ... more

Ferris Acres Creamery, at 144 Sugar St., Newtown was the top vote-getter in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, which celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year, sells ice cream made from milk produced by cows on the farm. less

Ferris Acres Creamery, at 144 Sugar St., Newtown was the top vote-getter in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, which celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year, sells ice cream ... more

Il Bacio, at 30 Germantown Road, Danbury came in second place in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop delivers house-made frozen treats with innovative flavors like vanilla pudding,

Il Bacio, at 30 Germantown Road, Danbury came in second place in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop delivers house-made frozen treats with innovative flavors like vanilla pudding, coffee biscotti and german chocolate cake. In addition to ice cream, owner Tony Nascimento also makes 16 varieties of dairy-free Italian ices. less

Il Bacio, at 30 Germantown Road, Danbury came in second place in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop delivers house-made frozen treats with innovative flavors like vanilla pudding, ... more

Dairy Queen, at 885 Summer St., Stamford, came in third place in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, identified by its iconic red barn roof, has served up cones, sundaes and Blizzards in Downtown Stamford for more than five decades. less

Dairy Queen, at 885 Summer St., Stamford, came in third place in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, identified by its iconic red barn roof, has served up cones, sundaes and ... more

Dairy Queen, at 885 Summer St., Stamford, came in third place in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, identified by its iconic red barn roof, has served up cones, sundaes and Blizzards in Downtown Stamford for more than five decades. less

Dairy Queen, at 885 Summer St., Stamford, came in third place in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop, identified by its iconic red barn roof, has served up cones, sundaes and ... more

Timothy's, at 2974 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, was one of the top vote-getters in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The old school ice cream parlor serves several dozen inventive flavors with the option of an edible bowl. less

Timothy's, at 2974 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, was one of the top vote-getters in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The old school ice cream parlor serves several dozen inventive flavors with ... more

Longford's, at 146 Sound Beach Ave., Greenwich was one of the top vote-getters in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. Longford's has been producing small batch, all natural premium ice cream for more than 20 years. less

Longford's, at 146 Sound Beach Ave., Greenwich was one of the top vote-getters in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. Longford's has been producing small batch, all natural premium ice cream ... more

Il Bacio, at 30 Germantown Road, Danbury came in second place in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop delivers house-made frozen treats with innovative flavors like vanilla pudding, coffee biscotti and german chocolate cake. In addition to ice cream, owner Tony Nascimento also makes 16 varieties of dairy-free Italian ices. less

Il Bacio, at 30 Germantown Road, Danbury came in second place in our 'Best of Summer -- Place to Eat Ice Cream' poll. The shop delivers house-made frozen treats with innovative flavors like vanilla pudding, ... more

Summertime, and the livin' is easy -- from chilling out on the beach, to boating on Long Island Sound to enjoying all your favorite warm-weather treats.

Last week, Hearst Connecticut Media launched a new feature asking readers about their favorite places to enjoy all that summer has to offer.

The first installment focuses on a beloved frozen food: ice cream. Approximately 650 readers voted on their favorite place to get it, and here -- drum roll, please -- is the winner:

The place: Ferris Acres Creamery, 144 Sugar St., Newtown

The scoop: As the last working dairy farm in Fairfield County, the creamery offers an experience unlike any other: Getting to gaze upon a pasture of grazing cows while licking an ice cream cone made with milk from those very same cows. The creamery, which celebrates its 10th season this year, offers 30 regular flavors and 20 rotating flavors, all piled into your choice of cone, cup or spacious foam container. Attracting 30 percent of the vote and besting 20 other ice cream shops in our Best of Summer poll, it is arguably THE place to go for a scoop on a hot summer day.

The vibe: Nestled on picturesque rolling hills replete with red barns, stone walls and wild flowers, the creamery offers a little taste of the New England countryside.

The crowd: A mix of chatty kids and teens on summer vacation, cuddling couples and families eager to satisfy their sweet tooth. Co-owner Michelle Ferris said, "People come from as far away as New York to try our ice cream." And I thought Stamford was far.

Best seat: Any one of the creamery's wooden picnic tables. Take in a 360-degree view of the farm and the neighboring hillside. Breathe in the fresh air. Admire the farm stand where ice cream is cheerfully served, scoop by glorious scoop, from a sliding glass window.

What I tried: The Cow Crossing -- three scoops of ice cream loaded with hot fudge, whipped cream, green sprinkles and topped off with three chocolate cow candies. My chosen flavors? The creamery's best-selling Route 302 Chocolate Moo, a mix of fudge swirls and dark chocolate chunks; Campfire, a blend of vanilla ice cream, fudge, graham crackers and mini marshmallows; and Cookie Dough. A delicious rendering of the surrounding landscape, it was more ice cream than I could reasonably finish. I only wish I had a second stomach.

Third place: Dairy Queen, 885 Summer St., Stamford -- The shop, identified by its iconic red barn roof, has served up cones, sundaes and Blizzards in downtown Stamford for more than five decades. Whether it's nostalgia for this old-school ice cream stand or its generous swirls of soft serve, people flock to Dairy Queen in droves.

Other top vote-getters: Timothy's, 2974 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport -- The unassuming ice cream parlor serves several dozen inventive flavors with the option of an edible bowl; Longford's Ice Cream, 146 Sound Beach Ave., Greenwich -- Longford's has been producing small batch, all-natural premium ice cream for more than 20 years.